Embracing the Spectre
by Wolfenangel
Summary: What it lies in our power to do, it lies in our power not to do.
1. Prologue

_Though I wish it were so, I don't own the rights to Casper or anything/place affiliated. I do own all OCs, settings, ETC._

**R&R… thanks a ton!**

**Wolfenangel7288**

* * *

**March 27, 1985**

"Mommy, it's not working."

The girl's shoulders slouched in disappointment; her mother quickly placed a consoling hand on her arm. The older woman's curly hair glittered in the sun as she comforted her daughter.

"Its okay Kim, not everyone gets it on their first try. Just imagine it flying and think really hard."

A young girl and her mother stood on a freshly-cut lawn, a yardstick's distance from a brick walkway. Behind them, at a shaded picnic table, sat a boy. His green eyes squinted against the light reflecting off the freshly watered grass, as he tightly clutched the G.I. Joe doll in his hands.

Kimberly nodded at her mother, pushing the small fringe of light blonde bangs out of her face. She readjusted her sundress before returning her attention to the task at hand. She stared hard at the teddy, lying not four feet in front of her. It smiled at her with threaded lips and button eyes. Her teeth grasped the inside of her cheek as she stared at her favorite toy; her blue eyes narrowed in concentration.

"Come on, sweetie…you can do it."

After a few moments the girl's eyes began to pulse brighter, keeping up with the rapid thump of her heart. Her mother tensed as the pink bear began to shudder, its fur dancing against the flickering sunshine. The boy at the table stared open-mouthed at his sibling.

"That's it…just a little more…"

The girl's neck muscles tensed tighter, and the bear lifted off the ground, levitating a few inches from the healthily green grass. The boy and mother watched as the bear began to spin in a slow circle. After completing its spin, the bear gently floated back to the ground, and finally fell backwards onto the lawn.

"That's it, baby! You got it!"

The mother embraced her child in a flurry of joy, sweeping the girl's long hair behind her ears, before cupping her cheeks. The girl smiled brightly; glad to see her mother so pleased. Kimberly cheerfully retrieved her bear, and then ran to the picnic table. She grinned at her brother.

"Ok, Judas… your turn."

* * *

**December 31, 2001**

The woman bent to check for a pulse. She pressed two shaking fingers to what was left of a throat, but felt nothing but the chill of long-dead flesh. The woman pulled her hand back, cradling it to her chest. She shook all over, fresh tears threatened to spill her already stained cheeks. The overpowering copper smell turned her stomach as she looked at the bodies strewn about. Cadavers that were once her friends and colleagues now lay in twisted piles of slowly dissolving flesh. Some wore hospital gowns, others scrubs and white coats. She wiped her bloodied fingers onto her own white coat, suppressing the rising bile in her throat.

"You're late, Kimberly."

She knew that voice. A harsh shiver ran up her spine. The only one who could've caused so much pain and destruction was the one she'd never expected. Kimberly closed her eyes for a brief moment, letting the tears fall. She cursed herself for being blind, for not seeing the wolf in sheep's clothing.

"W-what have you done, Judas?"

Her voice was barely a whisper, choked out around the hard lump in her throat. She could hear him shuffle his feet behind her, shifting his weight from one leg to the other. When it was clear he wasn't going to speak, she continued.

"Why?"

He laughed. It was harsh and condescending; the laugh a parent gave to a naïve child.

"You're not _that _blind, Kim. You know what I'm after…"

She shook harder, gripping the jewel against her throat. She swallowed again, trying to force the pain down.

"I-it was you…you killed her…"

"Yeah, it was me. But as it turned out, she wasn't the one who had it, but I have a sneaking suspicion who she would've given it to…"

She turned to face him. He stared back at her, mirth and a hint of amusement glistening within his intensely bright green eyes. She bit her lip to stop herself from sobbing. This wasn't the man she once knew, the one she called brother. The cylindrical gem against her throat began to glow, catching Judas's attention.

"Ahh…so there it is. Out in the open…I should've guessed you'd wear something so valuable in plain sight. If you hand it over, I promise to kill you quickly. It'll be painless…really."

She stiffened. Her shoulders tightened under her white coat, the fabric swished against her cotton shirt. The metal of her name tag jingled softly.

"Judas, don't make me…"

He laughed.

"You wouldn't have the strength or the stomach to kill me, Kimberly. Just hand it over, spare me the trouble."

The muscles in her jaw tightened. Her blue eyes began to glow brighter, pulsing in tune with the beating of her heart. A faintly blue light began to cloak her, barely noticeable in the glare of the fluorescent bulbs overhead. The golden glow of the gem grew brighter, reflecting onto the bloodied tiles on the floor.

"So, that's how you're going to be, huh? Well, sis…I think its time for you to join our dear mother."

Judas wiped the excess blood from the blade in his right hand, flicking the drippings from his gloved fingers to the wall at his side. The blade wasn't made of metal, but rather a collection of crackling tendrils of energy, twisting and writhing against one another in a seemingly solid form. Kimberly took a step back, her heels clicked on the filthy tiles. The hem of her jeans soaked up some of the bloody puddle in which she'd stepped, tinting the blue fabric a sickening maroon. Her blue eyes welled as they pulsed; more tears threatened as she watched him begin to circle her, stepping evenly in his black boots with a cat's grace. He drug the blade's tip against the ground, the screech sent chills down her neck.

He charged.

* * *

**May 24, 2002**

The wind carried with it the smell of spring; flowers and fresh growth mingled in the warm breeze as it blew through the Scenic Hills Cemetery. A dark block of clouds hung far on the horizon, bringing with them the promise of rain.

Kimberly stepped lightly along the gravel path, a bouquet of flowers in each hand. The plastic surrounding the slowly dying blooms crunched and crinkled as she walked.

A black hound followed in her wake, keeping close to her side as they made their way amongst the many graves. His pointed ears bounced lightly as he kept his Mistress's pace. His pink tongue lolled from the side of his muzzle.

She could see the headstone; its rounded form shot up from the top of the hill, a grim beacon in the mid-spring afternoon. As she grew closer, Kimberly could read the last name clearly; Miller. She kneeled once she'd clambered up the neatly trimmed hill, gently placing her bouquets on the headstone. She rocked back to sit on the ground and gazed at the names of her mother and father. Kimberly smiled sadly. The dog curled up beside her, laying his large head on her thigh. She stroked his furred neck as she began to talk softly to the marker.

"You guys probably already know I'm moving tomorrow... going to this little place called Sugar Creek. I've got a great house right on the edge of town…you'd like it."

The dog pricked his ears and turned to watch a squirrel dart across the manicured grounds. It ran into the wooded area surrounding the graveyard and scurried up a tree. The dog returned his head to Kimberly's leg with a huff.

"I used some of the money to buy my house... There's plenty left for me to live comfortably for a long while... But I think I'm going to open a shop like the one you used to run, Mom. I wish I could stay here…but it's not safe anymore…I love you guys."

The dog lying against her chuffed and rolled to a stand, looking at his mistress before casting his eyes to the horizon. Kimberly turned her head to the clouds in the distance. She could just barely make out the lines of rain, heading toward them slowly. She stood and bid a quiet goodbye to her parents before following the hound back to her car, parked just beyond the rusted wrought iron fence. She cast once last glance behind her, before getting into the vehicle and driving off.


	2. Chapter 1

_Again, I don't own Casper or anything affiliated...so don't sue... not like you'd get much anyway.  
_

Wow, I think this is the shortest amount of time in which I've posted two chapters for one story... How bizarre...

Anyway...

Well, I highly doubt I'll be able to post the next chapter so quickly...so please be patient... oh and this chapter has **_two _**new characters... exciting... Hope you like it.

Thanks a ton! Please Be kind, and Review.

_** Your friendly neighborhood author...**_

_**Wolfenangel7288**_

* * *

**_Present Day_**

The bookstore was relatively quiet, except for the large gathering in the Author's Corner. The entranceway was a large arch, framed with a brightly painted molding. The small, laminated sign taped to the left of the arch read:

_**Book Signing Today **_

_**Dr. James Harvey**_

Living with the Afterlife

2:00-5:00 PM

Acclaimed works- _My Big Fat Paranormal Life_

_ The Ghost Within_

_ Undying Devotion_

Through the doorway was a large grouping of chairs, all occupied. The people who had no chair opted to stand patiently instead of missing a chance to get their book signed. A sparse collection of media personnel flashed their cameras from areas flanking the desk at which Dr. Harvey sat. His hair was combed back, casting to the light his thin rimmed glasses and permanently skeptical face. Underneath his dark, unbuttoned blazer he wore a white collared shirt. In his right hand he held a generic Bic pen, hurriedly scribbling beneath the jacket sleeve of one of many copies of his latest acclaimed novels. The cover bore the title _Living with the Afterlife_ in bold white letters against a dark background. Winding in and around the title was a misty form, its dark eyes peeked from the foreground. Dr. Harvey finished his signature, and smiled at the elderly woman as he handed the paperback over the signing desk. She nodded curtly and smiled back before exiting, clutching the book to her chest.

As he turned his attention to the next person in line, his mouth went dry.

Her straight black hair fell to her waist, unbound and shining silkily against her olive skin. Her eyes were a steely grey, brightly contrasting to his dark almond irises. She wore a dress, if anything that short could be called a dress. The hem came to her upper thigh, and the blue material hugged her curves flawlessly. She smiled down at him with pearly white teeth, and tucked a strand of loose onyx tress behind her ear.

Dr. Harvey's pulse skyrocketed. His face went hard from a surge of anger.

She handed him the book, leaning over just enough to give the good doctor a glimpse of deep cleavage and a lacy, black brassiere.

He gulped hard and pushed down the livid thoughts tickling the back of his mind.

"What are you doing here, Marissa?" He hissed.

The woman pouted her lower lip at James. He pushed his glasses higher onto his nose as he scrutinized the beauty.

"What? Not happy to see me? I just came to get my book signed."

He took the book from her outstretched hand, and scribbled incoherent scrawl onto the inside cover.

"Here you go," he uttered.

She grasped for the book, covering James's hand with her own. Her manicured nails gleamed in the overhead lighting. She caught his gaze for a moment, smiled, and then took the book from him.

"Thank you, Dr. Harvey…I'll be waiting…don't forget our little agreement…"

"I won't," he assured her, from between clenched teeth.

She winked at him before turning to the door. She swayed her hips as she left, calling attention to the honey-sweet curve of her bottom.

* * *

Jenny Bent wore the attire expected of a literary agent; black suit, nice blouse, spectacles. Her hair fell into a straight, blonde part and came to rest on the tops of her shoulders. She sat behind her oak desk, waiting for an answer.

Dr. Harvey sighed.

"No, Jenny. You know what's going on with Marissa. After Carrigan died, the deed went to her. She won't let us live in Whipstaff unless I _humor _her."

Jenny scoffed. She leaned back into the leather swivel chair, and shook her head at James.

"Then why not move out, it's not like you don't have enough cash to get out of that dump of a mansion. Why not take Kat and move somewhere homey, you know…Somewhere _not_ falling apart."

James rubbed the bridge of his nose, attempting to fend off the headache. He'd had this conversation before. In the exact chair in which he now sat. He reached forward and grabbed a mint from the small, open jar. He unwrapped the candy and popped it into his mouth.

"You know why, Jenny. Kat loves it there. I couldn't take her away from…. I promised."

Jenny shrugged, and reached into a drawer. She pulled out a black calendar book and extended it to Dr. Harvey. He took it and began flipping through the pages.

"Whatever floats your boat, James. You want to live in a dusty old decrepit mansion, fine. But you've got to deal with the crazy bitch that comes with it."

Dr. Harvey nodded, running a hand through his hair. He flipped another page, and scowled.

"I have three more signings this month?"

Jenny nodded.

"Yes, I know it's a lot, but next month you have only two, so suck it up."

She stood from her chair, as did James. Jenny escorted him to her office door. She opened it and ushered him out.

"Alright, James. I'll see you in a couple of weeks. Go home and spend some time with Kat. I'm sure she misses you. And you better get me an outline for the next book."

James nodded again, scrolling through his calendar as he exited her office. Jenny cast a glance at the doctor as he rounded the corner, and then shut her door quietly.

* * *


End file.
